AIBU to question rising private school fees amid declining GCSE results

[Sidedoors]

Private school GCSE decline.

What happened? Is this an example of what’s to come?

Fees are rising well beyond inflation annually yet, results are in decline.

State schools prioritising, ‘reserving seats’ in house for 6th Form. Risky investment?

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/gcse-results-day-2026-6-key-trends-from-this-years-data/

From the article you linked to showing a 'fall' in top grades at independent schools - it's a tiny change from previous years. Going from 49% of private school pupils getting a 7 or higher to 48.4% achieving that is hardly news. That's not going to be statistically significant or a meaningful change on any level.

As I always say there are tiers in terms private schools, the top 25 ones always deliver top results.

Unless I am reading it incorrectly this data shows that if you send your child to a private school they are more than twice as likely to get top grades? To be honest that’s way more than I expected.
I would love Labour to raise the standards of state education, give everyone a better chance at a future they deserve. Unfortunately the last education secretary didnt have a vision for how to do that except by overly concerning herself with the small percentage of students in private school. Fingers crossed the focus will move to improving state schools now.

The priority isn’t necessarily “top marks” but school would be remiss to not point them out to prospective parents!

But as someone pointed out,

this is just the beginning as it reflects the transition in government.

A financially squeezed independent school will be forced to make cut backs and economise. State are waiting for their promised funding (redistribution of wealth VAT)

In decline.

Do they point out to perspective parents the fact their “Fee money” will cover Financial deficits. 1/3 on financial assistance.

A natural experiment in one US state has proven, that parent's interest in education is more of a factor than the school - they allowed students to apply for non-catchment schools and draw from all applicants; the children who applied to the more academic schools did better than those who didn't - no matter whether they got the place or not.

Seems that private schools were a way towards the education/grades goal for a part of the parents, who are now (with vat, cost of living, stagnating wages) making different choices (getting to the best possible state plus tutoring, ...)
Private schools as academic path are the first choice for smaller percentage of families (money no problem) now then before, while the number of families who chose them for SEN/pastoral purposes, not for the grades, is declining slower (as they have less choice, they can't just enrich the state school experience to get the same result).

Isn't it a temporary glitch? After vat/cost of living schools prioritised keeping existing students even if it means more discounts for more of them.

I don't think it is the same ratio for newly accepted students.

That would depend at what point or transition year the families are at.

it also takes into consideration staff discounts . With a falling birth rate and families investigating Value for money. £250k + per child at current Fee structure (set to increase ahead of inflation annually)

Aw you're so sweet @Sidedoors . Bizarre how you're so obsessed with private schools. And you have the old Labour disease of using the term 'State v Private' - when you know state schools are very different. A grammar in Surrey cannot be compared to a shit hole comp in Blackburn.

All the private schools I know are doing very well, results superb, students very happy. You'll never understand because you can't afford it. C'est la vie.

so in england there are 163 grammar schools which are selective at age 11.
there are about 850-900 mainstream senior independent schools not all of which are selective.
there are approximately 550-600 special senior independent schools.
in there they have included "city technology colleges"
in your statistics i would want to be comparing apples to apples; 163 grammar vs similarly selective independent schools.
last i looked due to some schools doing IB which were not included in the government statistics it was near impossible to get a good comparison.
equally poorly lumped together; free, secondary moderns, comprehensives and academies don't produce numbers anywhere near the gammars or independents but again you would have to disselect some of the students who are so academically challenged that mainstream school is unsuitable in the first place.
maybe if all students did cat 4's at age 10-11 and were then compared and filtered as to what schools they attended you could get a better picture 5+ yrs down the road, but that wouldn't account for family and environmental factors.

i'm not believing your data, i think it's biased.

Are you the same poster who started the thread on A Level results, repeated the same response over and over again when in reality you just have a chip on your shoulder about private schools whilst paying for your child to attend one?
because it’s looking likely!

Well mathematically its not surprising that grammar do so well they are the cream of the crop of selection because you have

• private prep parents
• all state parents
• all having been tutored
• selective so they can ask kids to leave and dont need the money
• the grammar areas will have higher SATs scores too and bring up the ability of all in the areas ie in london

private arent all selective and need to fill up spaces. Will lose out students to grammar. Many of these students and likewise grammar will have been tutored for both entry tests.

being able to exclude or avoid taking the 1/3 of students likely to get below a grade 4 gcse is a huge advantage. And also have fewer sen and disruptive kids.
However i still think the grades are pretty crazy high as suggest some are taking rather average kids who elsewhere would get 6-7 grades and getting them all7-9.
But is that mainly exam technique from teachers
how many private students /grammar are also getting some amount of 1-2-1 tutoring. In fact thats likely even higher in grammar as they havent paid for education.
Possibly not that hard to bring up a bright kid from 7 to 9 with tutoring just during y11. Also because they often are already ahead academically in many subjects.

Plus obviously bright kids compete and can work together and bring grades up

Whatever school you went to clearly wasn't worth the time or the (taxpayers'?) money if it failed to teach you how to write in full English sentences, OP.

just for fun i googled results for wycombe abbey vs wycombe high both in the same geographical area, both girls only and both selective.
wycombe abbey out performed wycombe high significantly.
again based on geography and demographics google suggested lancaster royal grammar school was comparable to winchester college and again independnent outperformed state significantly. in the case of the boys schools; win col 93% achieved a 7 or higher vs lrgs 64% received a 7 or higher.

Academically.

It seems everyone’s getting the exact same perfect grades. GCSE, A Levels….

Ease of Uni admission in UK.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cddjp8gq0njo

There is no longer a gold standard. It’s open to all. Labour have 3 more years to level up (as promised) not a bad start.

Those families with fantastic GCSE and A level qualifications who have not had any financial burden or sacrifice must be thrilled.

Independent school families heading to further Fee increase in September.

Value for money.

Summer holidays, family enrichment or contracted in to fees for a declining provision. Where even if your child does attain Top grades they’re no different to everyone else achieving exactly the same, for free.

This thread is looking at the Value in Independent schools £250k+ per child studying GCSE results.

https://www.thetimes.com/money/family-finances/article/private-school-worth-it-comment-wdcs52kn2

Independent schools are not just about buying results. It’s ethos, who you are educated with, networking, inspirational speakers and first class facilities amongst other things. Results are not the whole story. Plus much longer day which assists working parents.

The Fee increased.

Yet,

The quality declined.

This year the fee will increase again

due to significant financial difficulties

next year the decline will be greater.

This will be the new pattern with the data.

@Sidedoors- does all the Ofqual data you’re analysing include iGCSEs? I may be wrong but I don’t think it does, in which case the numbers are pretty meaningless.
You seem very invested in it all?!

as i pointed out above; the fact that they are comparing grammars to the whole host of independents which includes; special schools and technical colleges really negates the findings.
i suspect data has been cherry picked.

Interesting, as PP said I do think the internet makes accessing resources easter for dc

Very happy to pay £250k for an excellent education. And by excellent I do consider exam performance (well ahead of local apples to apples comparison) but also consider extracurriculars, variety, depth of learning (hands on not just rote exam oriented teaching), as well as as pastoral care.

the biggest predictor of success is love of learning / learning mindset and that is what I pay for. Even if my kids end up with middling exam scores they are curious, positive, engaged students and their school has been a major factor in that. In the real world a middling degree with the right attitude beats exam performance any day of the week,

@Sidedoors I don’t think you understand what quality is. It’s not just exam results.